Workers' Compensation
Colorado Attorney R. Brian Daniel
Workers’ Compensation is a vital part of the worker/employer relationship and provides necessary and robust protection for both parties in the event of a work-related injury to an employee. Unfortunately, so much about workers’ compensation and the workers' compensation process is misunderstood. These misunderstandings can cause both confusion and unwanted difficulty. After you have been injured on the job what can you expect? Where can you go for treatment? To what are you entitled? Who is responsible for paying the costs of your medical care, your time away from work, the mileage you incur traveling to and from the offices of your various health care providers? These are only a few of the issues that can create frustration for both the employee and the employer.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers' compensation was established as an alternative to forcing an employee to have to sue their employer in the event of a workplace injury, or work-related disability. Today, instead of filing a lawsuit, the worker files a claim for compensation, and is then entitled to request certain protections and allowances.
Workers’ compensation is a so-called 'no fault' arrangement. This means that the injured worker is allowed to receive reimbursement for benefits (including medical care, partial wages, and continuation of some employment benefits), and the employer is not deemed liable for the injury.
Workers’ Compensation Claim Disputes
Unfortunately, an amicable agreement is not always reached between the employee and the employer after a work-related injury has occurred. An employer may dispute the validity of a claim or their insurance carrier may reject the claim altogether. If either one of those situations arises, the process may become more and more adversarial and a new level of complexity enters the picture. When this occurs, you can expect a fight in order to receive any compensation for your injuries. While additional reviews and appeals are built into the system, administrative proceedings, hearings and a lawsuit involving the Office of Administrative Courts often becomes inevitable at this point. Therefore, it is imperative that you contact a Parker, Colorado Workers’ Compensation Attorney as soon as possible when you are facing a work-related injury.
Legal Representation for a Workman's Compensation Claim
Workers’ compensation claims are quite common and, despite the fact that the system was designed to eliminate the need for confrontation, disputes often arise. Any victim of a work-related injury or disability should contact a Parker, Colorado Workers’ Compensation Attorney as soon as possible for a consultation in any of the following circumstances:
- The workers' compensation claim was granted, but the coverage/reimbursement is incorrect or disputed.
- The worker was denied immediate medical treatment
- The worker was denied necessary and appropriate follow-up care.
- The employer attempts to retaliate against the worker who filed the claim (firing, disciplinary action, demotion, etc.)
Even if none of the above takes place, it is always a good idea to consult with a Parker, Colorado Workers’ Compensation Attorney about any on-the-job injury. Workers' compensation is a specialized area of practice, so care must be taken to find an attorney such as a Parker, Colorado Workers’ Compensation Attorney, who is both qualified and capable in this field.
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